The Edmonton Oilers have been having a strong season and it seems like they’re going to make another deep run into the postseason as they try to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990 after coming up just short last season. They have had strong offensive production from their superstar players, strong defensive play from the majority of their blue line, and have had decent goaltending from Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.
Related: Oilers Trading Evan Bouchard Could Solve Future Cap Issues
One player who has had his game picked apart all season is defender Evan Bouchard, and his defensive consistency has been called out by a well-respected pundit in Edmonton, Mark Spector, putting into perspective how much weaker it’s been this season, and how it could be affecting the Oilers’ success.
Oilers playing poorly, Evan Bouchard playing somewhere south of that.
Puck error after puck error. Bouchard wasn’t ready to play tonight.— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) February 2, 2025
Bouchard, who is 25 years old, has been one of the most interesting players in recent history in terms of fan appreciation. It seems to be split down the middle between fans that love him, and fans that despise him. Arguments can be made that he is one of the most dominant offensive-minded in the entire league, but his defensive ability has been questioned by many fans and analysts as he projects to get a massive contract extension as his current deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season where he becomes a restricted free agent (RFA).
Spector brought attention to Bouchard not being selected for Team Canada at the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff and mentioned that he doesn’t believe he will be the player the team calls to replace an injured Alex Pietrangelo.
If Evan Bouchard’s game was where it was a year ago at this time, he’d have been named to Team Canada in the first place.
It’s just not there – yet? – this season. I do not suspect he gets the call to replace Pietrangelo.— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) January 27, 2025
It has been a constant battle on social media where fans of analytics defend Bouchard in a big way considering his numbers look fantastic in the defensive zone, but fans who don’t look at analytics don’t see anything positive about it. Either way, Spector has been brutally truthful about how much impact Bouchard has had defensively, consistently calling out the mistakes he’s making. While it doesn’t seem to be a personal attack on him, it’s good to see someone is willing to hold him accountable for his lack of defensive skill.
Bouchard Could Expect Massive Contract Extension
Bouchard could be looking at a massive long-term extension that surpasses Darnell Nurse’s $9.25 million annual cap hit. His offensive ability is like no other, but there is no reality where any team should consider giving him that kind of money. The salary cap going up over the next few seasons could justify a massive extension a bit more than it does now, but it still doesn’t make sense to spend that much money on a one-dimensional defender who costs his team every night with a big mistake that is very noticeable from fans.
At the end of the day, he will likely sign an extension with the Oilers. They should be looking to bring his asking price way down during negotiations and see if they can bring him back at a reasonable price. With Spector, who is well-respected in the hockey community in Edmonton, calling out Bouchard, his opinion likely has some heavy influence. Either way, it’s good to see there is at least one other pundit not only focusing on the positive offensive side of Bouchard’s game but also the negative defensive side that has cost the Oilers time and time again.
As the 2024-25 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
